Here, Now, and the Hereafter ...

A wise man works modestly toward the hereafter while a foolish man follows his low desires yet expects blessings from Allah.

-The Prophet Mohamed (pbuh), as reported by Shaddad bin Aus

Alms to the Poor ...

There is a key for everything, and the key to Paradise is to love the poor.

-The Prophet Mohamed (pbuh), as reported by ibn Omar

Do not forget those less fortunate than yourself this "holiday season" or during these "tough economic times" or EVER.

Attaining Eternal Bliss ...

Yet I realized that my only hope of attaining eternal bliss was by detaching myself from all worldly desires, and by honouring God in every aspect of my life. I knew that I had to leave the mansion of deception, and set out with all vigour towards the house of God. I had to turn away from wealth and position, and flee from all the worldly obligations that consumed my time.

-Ghazali, “al-Munqidh min ad-Dalal”

Bounty of Blessings ...

Blessed are the ones who rely on Allah and have surrendered themselves before His will, who are grateful in prosperity and patient in adversity.

-Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), as reported by Shu'aib bin Se'nam

Thank You Gen. Colin Powell ...

As it appeared in Yahoo News - http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20081021/pl_mcclatchy/3078971

Muslim soldier fought for America and his faith

WASHINGTON — "Joe the Plumber" was only one of two Americans injected into the presidential election this past week. The other was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan , whom former Secretary of State Colin Powell invoked in his endorsement Sunday of Barack Obama .
Khan was a 20-year-old soldier from Manahawkin, N.J. , who wanted to enlist in the Army from the time he was 10. He was an all-American boy who visited Disney World after he completed his training at Fort Benning, Ga. , and made his comrades in Iraq watch "Saving Private Ryan" every week.

He was also a Muslim who joined the military, his father said, in part to show his countrymen that not all Muslims are terrorists.

"He was an American soldier first," said his father, Feroze Khan . "But he also looked at fighting in this war as fighting for his faith. He was fighting radicalism."

Khan was killed by an improvised explosive device in August 2007 along with four other soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter while searching a house in Baqouba, Iraq . He's one of four Muslims who served in Iraq or Afghanistan and are buried in Arlington National Cemetery , where 512 troops from those wars now rest.

About 3,700 of the U.S. military's 1.4 million troops are Muslims, according to Defense Department estimates.

Khan, a child of immigrant parents from Trinidad , was 14 when the Sept. 11 attacks happened. Feroze Khan said he remembered his son watching in stunned silence: "I could tell that inside a lot of things were going through his head."

Three years later, Feroze honored his son's request and allowed him to enlist him in the Army . "I told him: 'You are going to the Army .' I never said there is a war going on in a Muslim country. I didn't want him to get any ideas that he was fighting (against) his religion."
Feroze kept his fears for his son's safety to himself.

His son was assigned to the Stryker Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Lewis, Wash. , deployed to Iraq in 2006 and fought on Baghdad's Haifa Street , a Sunni insurgent stronghold.
His tour was extended as part of the surge of additional U.S. forces to Iraq , and he called or messaged home often until he was deployed to restive Diyala province, where he was under fire too often to contact home regularly.

But he prayed every day, his father said.

One Sunday morning, his son sent an instant message: "Hey Dad. Are you there?" Feroze Khan was out, and he saw the message when he returned.
A few hours later, his ex-wife called. Soldiers had knocked on her door in Maryland . Their only child was dead.

A few minutes later, soldiers appeared at Khan's door. "I guess it helped that I knew beforehand," he said. "There are no words to describe it."

Kareem Khan was a month from finishing his tour when he was killed.

On Sunday, Powell said that Khan's sacrifice and service had swayed him to discuss the way that Muslims have been portrayed in the presidential campaign, and the contention that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is a Muslim.

Obama "is a Christian," Powell said. "He has always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, 'What if he is?' Is there something wrong with being Muslim in this country? The answer is no. That is not America." He added: "I am troubled that within the (Republican) Party we have these kinds of expressions" suggesting that Obama is a Muslim, and that if he is, he likely associates with terrorists.

Powell said that he felt strongly about the issue after he saw a photo of Khan's tombstone in the New Yorker magazine . In the black-and-white picture, Khan's mother is resting her head on her son's tombstone. On each side of the stone are flowers, and in between is a copy of the Quran. On the face of the tombstone is a crescent and star, indicating that the soldier buried there is a Muslim.

"He was an American," Powell said.

Human Nature ...

Since man is made of clay, he can never be completely pure. Since clay is basically foul, how can humans escape their basic nature? Purity does not lie in rituals, nor can human nature be changed by effort. Those who love God and remain conscious only of their Beloved to attain purity.

-Al-Hujwiri, "The Kashf al-Mahjub"

Patience is a Virtue ...

Your pleas shall be answered, but wait patiently for the Lord to respond. Do not lose hope and begin to complain, "I beseeched the Lord, but He never responded."

-The Prophet Muhammad, as reported by Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith)

Ramadan Mubarak to all ...

Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.

-Qur'an (2:185)

God is the Real Provider ....

Do not seek sustenance from people. God is the real Provider. If He wills a certain person to be the means of your livelihood, do not consider that person to be in control of your destiny. Have faith and be certain in the knowledge that your daily bread does not depend upon any mortal, but upon God who created all.

-Al-Hajwiri, "The Kashf al-Mahjub"

Your Conduct ...

"The most upright among you are those who carry themselves with the finest conduct."

-The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), as reported by Abd'Allah bin Amr

Women in Islam ...

If anyone asks why Rabi'a is ranked equal with men, we reply that Muhammad, the chief of prophets, said, "God does not judge you by your outward forms. It is not outward form that matters, but inner intention." Moreover, since we derive much of our religion from Muhammad's wife Aisha, then it is right to take spiritual inspiration from a woman. When a woman is on the path of God, it is not appropriate to define her by her womanhood.

-Attar, "Rabi'a"

From "366 Readings From Islam," translated by Robert Van der Weyer

Two kinds of people ...

Allah exalted two kinds of people above others: those who spend in the cause of the Truth, and the judicious who impart their wisdom to others.

-The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), as reported by Nayeem bin Mas'ud

Charity ...

The best charity is to satisfy a hungry person.

-The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), as reported by Anas bin Malik

Please remember this the next time you walk by someone who looks like they could use some assistance.

Hard Times ...

If misfortune befalls you, it is the consequence of your own actions. Yet God forgives much. On this earth you can not escape God; and there is no one apart from God who can protect or help you.

-Qur'an (42:30-31)

I haven't written much lately and for that I apologize to the few readers (if you're still out there) that I have. I have befallen on some emotionally rough times and it is hard to write positively when you're feeling bitter.

Our country is in the middle of a "presidential operation" aka a war. I've established in my writings that I grew up in Texas, which is a state full of wonderful people who have a deep relationship with honor & duty. The state has some of the largest bases in the armed services and I have had the priveledge to call many of those, who serve our country, friends.

However, their jobs can be dangerous. I've lost 3 friends in the uniformed services in the past 5 years. I still have a few more that are still in Iraq and one headed to Afghanistan shortly. Please pray for their safe returns.

I thought about the verse above and it is our actions that directly place us or remove us from harms way. As much as I, or other friends, or their family wish and try to protect them, we cannot. God truly is the only protector.

While I find their sacrifice for their country honorable, noble, and admirable it is no secret that I oppose this war. And for those who might be on the "right" side of the political spectrum - you can believe both. You can support your troops, but oppose with the war. You can respect those who serve and fight for their return at home. You can be patriotic and disagree with your government.

I apologize, as this blog is supposed to help educate people on Islam and religion in general ... I have been trying to stay away from politics here ... but today ... I just cannot.

Please, do what you can, to get our troops home safely while still assisting the Iraqi's to re-build their war-torn country. Please pray for all involved in this conflict and pray for peace. If we start to act like the ideal human being it might just rub off on others until we actually live in an ideal world instead of this mess we've made on God's Earth.

Salaam/Shalom/Peace,
Broken-Hearted Human Being

Transitions ...

I swear by the glow of the sunset, by the night and all that the night brings to life, and by the full moon, that you will move from your present existence to a different existence.

-Qu'ran (84:16-19)

Friends ...

"Firmness of heart is needed for achievement, but a firm friend does not lack friends. Be a firm friend, that you may find friends innumerable; for without friends you will be left helpless. Generally the wolf seizes his prey at the moment when a year-old sheep has strayed alone from the flock."

-Mathnawi [VI 497-498;500]
From "Jewels of Remembrance," by Rumi

Patience is a Virtue

"Do not lose hope in Allah, for He is the Creator. He will create another way for you. Do not flee from your trials; patience in adversity is the foundation of all virtue, of compassion and sainthood. Patience is the foundation, and without a sound foundation you cannot build a monument."

-Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jillani, "Fayuz E Yazdani"
From "The Bounty of Allah," translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed

He knows ...

It was God who created you; yet some of you refuse to believe, while others have faith. He is aware of all your actions. He created the heavens and the earth to manifest the truth. He fashioned each one of you--and each one of you is beautiful. To God you will all return. He knows all that the heavens and the earth contain. He knows all that you hide and all that you reveal. He knows your deepest thoughts.

-Qur'an (64:2-4)

Answers to Life ...

Chaim Gravitzer said...
I am a hassidic Jew. I am dissatisfied with my life. I would like to speak to a Muslim clergyman in person. Could you help arrange this? I am having all comments left on this post forwarded to me, so you can contact me by leaving a comment here. If you are able to see my e-mail address, then please e-mail me directly. Thank you very much. I hope to hear from you.

Chaim, I'll do what I can to assist you. Please email me at askamuslimnow@gmail.com and we'll see what we can't come up with together.

In the mean time, I am sorry to hear you're dissatisfied with your life. We all have difficult periods in life. It is the Islamic view that life on Earth is nothing but a test. This philosphy usually helps remind me that its not all fun and games and things here are not supposed to always be easy. God tests all of us and we can only hope and pray that we're doing a good enough job to pass this LONG exam called life.

You might speak with an Imam and decide that Judiasm or your faith in general is not what is making you unhappy, but rather something else. Whatever you find on your quest might actually uphold or restore your faith in your current religion. OR you might find that you've been looking for something else all along.

As a Muslim, I am always happy to have people "come" to Islam but as I've quoted before:

Qur'an (2:256) "There is no compulsion in religion, for the right way is clear from the wrong way. Whoever therefore rejects the forces of evil and believes in God, he has taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way, for God is All Hearing and Knowing."

I encourage you to find your own path ... whatever that might be. Here is another, hopefully, encouraging quote:

Once Ibrahim bin Adham saw a stone with the inscription, "Turn me over and read!" When he did an inscription appeared: "You do not practice what you know. Why do you seek what you do not know?"
-Al-Hujwiri, "The Kashf al-Mahjub"

As difficult as things might seem for you at the moment, please remind yourself that at the very least you are asking questions and "... [seeking] what you do not know."

All the best, my brother.

Happy Mother's Day!

We have ordained humankind to show kindness toward their parents, for in pain their mothers carry them and in pain do they give birth. In thirty months they bear and wean; thus when they attain maturity they may pray, "Lord, inspire us that we may be thankful for the blessings You bestowed upon us and our parents. Kindle within us the desire to do what is upright and pleasing to You. Grant us righteous offspring, Lord. Verily, we turn to You in repentance, surrendering ourselves in earnest."

-Qur'an, Al-Ahqaf, (46:15)

A Hadith

When the Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) was asked by a man, "Who should we respect the most?" The Prophet answered, "Your mother."  

"And next?" the man asked.  

"Your mother."

"And next?" the man asked.

"Your mother."

"And next?" the man asked, again.

"Your mother." The Prophet answered, again.

"And next?" 

"Your father."  

This hadith not only shows how women are respected in Islam, but how highly the title "mother" is honored.  A bond between a mother and child is like no other on Earth.  Respect, honor, and love it.  Be sure to thank the woman who gave you the gift of life and raised you well today.  For it is their lessons that you will pass on to your own offspring.

Love you, mom.  =)

Try to be like "The Spirit of Truth" (pbuh)

Believers, uphold justice. Always bear true witness, even if it be against yourself, your parents, or your relatives—and regardless of whether the person against whom you are speaking is rich or poor. God is close to people regardless of their material circumstances. Do not be led by emotion, as this may cause you to swerve from the truth. If you distort your testimony, or refuse to testify, remember that God is aware of all your actions.

-Qur'an, An-Nisa, (4:135)

Experience life ... realize that you'll always be on a path towards and ending ... take time to reflect on you're choices ... learn from your mistakes ... perspective is important for everything in life is relative ... TRUTH is everything.

Being Better than the Majority ...

... doesn't make you the best or even make you safe. All too often, we get caught up in that "well at least I'm not that bad" or "at least I'm better than them" when it comes to how we act or how much or how little we practice our faiths. The thing is, we forget to look at all those people who are BETTER than us and learn to aspire to that level. Just a friendly reminder and I remind myself before anyone else that we can always do a better job of practicing.

"If you follow the greater majority on earth they would lead you astray. They follow nothing but the conjectures of others and mislead those who follow them. Your Lord knows best who stray from the path of Truth; He knows best who are rightly guided."

-Qur'an, Al-An'am, (6:117-18)

Islam is NOT a religion ...

... that preaches violence and the Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) was not a man that advocated for war and blood shed.  These are stereotypes passed along, virally and hatefully, to the masses.  Do not believe the words of the ignorant, fear-mongers.  Please read books and make up your own mind. 

"The strong man is not the good wrestler; the strong man is only the one who controls himself when he is angry."

-Prophet Muhammad, from Sayings of Muhammad by Prof. Ghazi Ahmad

Sharing Words ...

A group of religious leaders came to Rabi'a. She asked one of them: 'Why do you worship the Lord?' He replied: 'There are seven levels of hell, which I regard with great fear and dread; I wish to avoid passing through them.' She asked another man the same question. He replied: 'There are many levels of paradise, where there is much joy; I wish to dwell in one of the levels.' Rabi'a said: 'It is wrong to worship God from fear of punishment, or from hope of reward.'

-Attar, "Rabi'a"

Knowledge is the spirit that saves the heart from the death of ignorance; it is the light that saves it from the darkness of iniquity. The hearts of the iniquitous are dead because they are oblivious to God, and the hearts of the heedless are sick because they ignore His commandments.

-Abu Ali Thaqafi, "The Kashf al-Mahjub"

Thank you for the kind words ...

theelementary said:

I wasn't sure which post to comment on first; the whole idea of your blog is brave and hopeful and I am moved by your determination to make the world better.
People are scared by what they do not understand. It comes across as hatred but everything comes down to fear of the unknown. That's why I love books and reading so much- even if I can't travel all the time I can still explore new world and investigate things that are a puzzle to me.
I will most definitely be reading your blog regularly. 
As for this post, it struck me as incredibly sad that anybody should have to live like that in America (or anywhere, for that matter, but since I've come to live here I've seen so many changes and they're startling in how they seem to creep up on you until you don't recognise the place you called home. I don't like to fly anymore. My husband is from India, I'm from Ireland; America is our home and we have family in other parts of the world- but our joy of flying has been slowly erased.
This is an admirable blog.

I sincerely appreciate your kind words and the sentiment with which they were written.  I hope that I continue to earn them.  Sadly, I have not been able to write as much as I'd like, but I suppose that's life in America ... work, work, work.  I will try to do a better job of posting more regularly, in the hopes of keeping readers, like you, engaged.

As for my post, life in America has dramatically changed since 9-11, particularly for Arabs, for Muslims, and for poor "brown" people from other countries that are sadly mistaken for Arabs or Muslims due to, again, ignorance on the part of the racist.  Given that you mentioned your husband is Indian, I am pretty certain he's experience a rough situation or two.  =)

Hopefully, we will be able to encourage folks to read and seeks knowledge to combat prejudice.  Thanks again for taking the time to write me - it was most appreciated and I am most humbled by your comments.  I hope to continue to hear from you.

Flying While Arab

Sadly, in a post 9-11 world, flying while Arab (FWA) has become an issue.  I use the term "Arab" loosely as it is really is anyone who's "brown" or has an Arabic or Muslim name.

When people see me, they aren't sure what I am.  Some people think I'm just a white girl, others think I'm Latina; I've even gotten Greek or Italian.  Rarely do people guess, on the first or even second try, my ethnic heritage.  

I travel a lot.  My family is spread out in different states and, of course, the "homeland."  I also travel quite a bit for work.  It is always the same look I get when I hand over my boarding pass accompanied by my ID - one of sheer surprise.  

The TSA agent is sometimes smiling and sometimes straight-faced and bored looking, but when they see my name, it is always the same reaction.  A cartoon-like double take.  Then I always see them glance at my left hand to see if I'm wearing a wedding ring.  As if the only way I could have the name in front of them is if I married into it!  

They stare me down with elevator eyes, make all sorts of markings on my boarding pass, and tell me to "have a nice day."  I would say I'm about 50/50 for the "random" screening.  An extra body search.  An extra search of my bags.  Sometimes they even ask to see my ID again.  As always, I conduct myself in a polite and peaceful manner and pretend to not mind these extra searches in the least.  After all, I have time.  It's not like I have a plane to catch or anything.  =)

Last week though, something happened to me that has NEVER happened to me before.  I actually travel with a pocket sized version of the Qur'an.  I have had this Qur'an since 2000 and I have traveled with it - every flight I've ever taken in the past eight years - since then.  I've been all over America, Canada, Central America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East and never had much of an issue ... but not this day.

My bags are on the x-ray machine and I've been chosen for an extra body search.  I'm moved over to the side, waiting for a "female assist."  She pats me down and waves me on.  I go to collect my bags and the x-ray tech asks me. "Do you have anything organic in your bag?"

What an odd question, I thought to myself.   

"What do you mean, sir?" I said.

He answered, "There is something about this size of an organic nature in your bag."  He used his two hands to make a fairly small rectangular shape to demonstrate what he was looking at.

I thought about what was in that bag.  "Perhaps, it is the power source for my laptop?" I said.  That was the only thing I could think of that was that shape.

"Nope, it's organic," he repeated.

"I have no idea, sir." I said.  

"Bag check," he called out.

A tall, skinny, lanky, white male came over.  He had glasses and a full strawberry blonde beard.  "Hello, ma'am ... I gotta take a look in here.  Please bring the rest of your things and follow me."

"No problem, sir," I replied.  I grabbed my other bag, put on my shoes, and followed him over to one of those little, silver metal tables.  

He started digging in my bag.  "Are you a Texan?" he asked.

"Yes," I answered.  "But, I don't live here anymore; though I am trying to get back here as fast as I can."

He smiled, "Yeah, I lived in a couple of other states, but there is nothing like Texas," he stated with pride.  He was still digging around for the "organic" object.  He didn't seem to find what he was looking for.

"Where did you grow up?" he continued to initiate small talk while trying to find the mysterious object in question.

"Dallas, " I answered.

"Ah, well, you seem to have done alright for yourself."  He was starting to look concerned.  "Are there any other pockets in this bag?"

"There are outer ones on each side," I answered.

He pulled out my pen and gum from one of them.  "That's not it," he said.  He began to look puzzled.  Then he started in on the other pocket.  He pulled out this small book.  it was my Qur'an.  "Ah ha!" he said as if he'd just struck gold!  "This was probably it.  Whatchya readin'?" he asked as he began to turn the book over to read the title.  His eyes got so wide I was almost worried.

He looked me up and down and then began putting things back in my bag.  The man who had been polite and cordial up until now just completely shut down.  I gave him a half-hearted smile and said, "Don't see too many Texans with Qur'ans, do you?"

He simply shook his head no and continued to throw everything into the bag at a faster pace.  He zipped it up, as if he couldn't wait to have me out of his sight and, without a word, he handed it back to me.  

"Thank you, sir.  Have a nice day," I said.  But before I could get the entire sentence out, he had turned his back to me and started walking away.

What had I done to deserve that?  I suppose, given his position and the environment he could have made things worse for me, but we were being kind to one another and then it was as if a wall was erected.  Why the fear?  He just searched my bag for God's sake!  There was nothing in there that was dangerous.  Nothing but a book!  A few pages of paper instilled so much fear in this man.  Why?

I love Texas.  I love Texans.  I love southern hospitality.  I don't blame this man for his fear or even his hatred.  As someone who lives between what feels like two worlds, I can see both perspectives.  If I was bombarded with hateful propaganda every day and having it passed off as factual news stories and I had no other point of reference, who knows what I would think or how I would act.  I'd like to think I'd react better and not judge but one cannot say, with certainty, until they find themselves in a situation.

What I don't understand is why we choose to be ignorant.  It is a book.  Even if you don't think it is the word of God, what would be so terrible if you READ it?  It's just literature, right?  At least then you'd see that the news lies.  You could read verses in context (and hopefully properly translated) and draw your own conclusions versus having the "establishment" tell you how to think and feel.

Why does it seem easier to hate what we do not know or do not understand?  Why is "ignorance bliss?"  Do we really choose darkness over light?

GET EDUCATED.  STOP THE HATE!

Jesus Camp ... Almost Speechless- Part 1

I don't know where to start on this one. This is going to end up like a rant, I can already feel it -my apologies, in advance.

Jesus Camp is an 84-minute documentary that you can't help but wish was a "mockumentary." Within minutes, I had to pause the DVD to get a pen and paper to take notes because I just couldn't keep track of my outrages. By the end of this film, I had over five pages of angering notes and quotes and a stomach that was tied in knots from my disguist. Can this really be happening in "my" America?

One of the main reasons I started this blog was because I could no longer sit idly by as ignorance spreads like wildfire. I watch the "news" in amazement most days. Bewilderment and stereotypes, veiled as facts, passed on to millions of people in this great nation only to fuel prejudice. Arabs and Islam (the two are NOT mutually exclusive by the way) set up as the enemy of America - Public Enemy #1.

Why? Because a majority of the American public perceive Arabs and/or Muslims  to be responsible for 9 -11? Really?!

I think 20 very bad people committed a horrible act. Does that really speak for approximately 375 MILLION Arabs (of which many are Christian and Jewish) or the 1.5 BILLION Muslims (of all races, nationalities, and ethnicities)? I don't think so.

Do those 20 need to be punished?  YES.

Should the terrorist groups be stopped?  YES.

How do we do that? Apparently, we should become LIKE them. Huh?

Jesus Camp focuses on the Evangelical movement/sect of Christianity in America. One of the central "characters" is Becky Fisher, a Pentecostal Children's Minister. While she calls Muslims the "... enemies..." she elaborates on how the Taliban and Al-Qaeda use children by saying that those "... camps are putting hand granades in their hands. They are teaching them how to put on bomb belts. They are teaching them how to shoot rifles ..." She goes on to say that it is an "... intense training ..." and "... that those young people are ready to kill themselves for the cause of Islam."

I disagree with her statement because Islam is not a "cause" it is a faith. One that preaches peace and ethics ... but I digress. I'll leave this issue for another day.

So these camps are, in her own words, what the "enemies" use. Yet, she goes on to say, "I want to see young people as committed to the cause of Jesus Christ as they are committed to the cause of Islam. I want to see them as radically laying down their lives for the Gospel as they are over in Pakistan, Israel, and Palestine because we have, excuse me, but we have the truth."

Hmmm. Did Jesus (pbuh) teach us to mimic our enemies? To be "radical?" I must have missed that day of religious study.

One little girl says, "I feel like we're kind of trained to be warriors."

Levi, a young boy who is one of the main "characters" and wishes to be a preacher says, "A lot of people die for God and stuff. They're not even afraid."

Another little girl says, "There are missionaries and stuff and when they are about to go somewhere dangerous and stuff, people yell 'martyr, martyr.' It is really cool."

Rev. Fisher goes on to preach that "The Apostle Paul said 'make war with them ... this means war.'" The camera pans the audience of children jumping up and down, chanting, speaking in tongues, and with their young faces painted in cameoflauge - like the army. It is a chilling scene. Again, to me, no different than watching a young middle eastern kid on the news.

This isn't "brain-washing?" This doesn't sound like an Al-Qaeda camp? The Taliban? These kids want to be martyrs! They want to not fear death and think dying for the sake of God is "cool." How are they any different from the suicide bombers in the Middle East? Other than they are white and Christians living in America .... um, nothing.

They are still children and young adults, being manipulated and used as pawns in a political game of chess, in which religion is just another weapon in the over all war being waged on the board. Rev. Fisher was even quoted as saying that "... children are usable in Christianity."

"Usable."  "Warriors."  "Martyrs."  "Dying for God."  "We have the truth."

How are these words and phrases above, any different from the ones terrorist groups use?  The same terrorists we're trying to eradicate?

The answer, again, is that they are not!

To be continued ...

The Origins of Arabic

Thank you for your comment anonymous.

Anonymous said...
Interesting post. I always wondered how the keypad symbols related back to Arabic letters. One thing though: I don't think that Arabic originated from Sanskrit. Its from a totally different linguisitc family: Semitic vs Indo-European.

My sources on this particular post was Wikipedia (granted not always the "best" source) but from what I know of the language, it seemed accurate. Here is some additional information about the history of the Arabic language:

http://www.indiana.edu/~arabic/arabic_history.htm

The Semitic language family is a descendant of proto-Semitic, an ancient language that was exclusively spoken and has no written record. This relationship places Arabic firmly in the Afro-Asiatic group of world languages. Specifically, Arabic is part of the Semitic subgroup of Afro-Asiatic languages. Going further into the relationship between Arabic and the other Semitic languages, Modern Arabic is considered to be part of the Arab-Canaanite sub-branch the central group of the Western Semitic languages. Thus, to review, while Arabic is not the oldest of the Semitic languages, its roots are clearly founded in a Semitic predecessor.

Aside from Arabic, the Semitic language family includes Hebrew, Aramaic, Maltese, Amharic, Tigrinya, Tigre, Gurage, Geez, Syrica, Akkadian, Phonoecian, Punic, Ugaritic, Nabatean, Amorite and Moabite. While a majority of these are now considered "dead" languages, either entirely obsolete or used only in religious practice, Arabic has flourished. The reason for this is inextricably linked with the rise of Islam and, more specifically, Islam’s holy book, the Qur’an.

I hope that helps clarify a little bit. My apologies if I passed along some incorrect information. I write with the best of intentions.

Please keep the comments/questions coming. I will try to do better in responding in a more timely fashion.

This is NOT my America!

"It is a sad day, when you need to leave the United States of America in order to be 'free'." - Abdallah Al-Arian (Sami's eldest son)  

"It is sad really.  My mother is a Palestinian refugee.  My father is a Palestinian refugee.  And now, the United States of America is making us (their children) refugees too." - Sami Al-Arian's daughter

I don't want to live in an America that falsely accuses people of being terrorists and then AFTER years in prison, a lengthy trial, and NOT GUILTY verdicts on 51 counts of BS charges the government will not let him go.  He is still in prison!  ALMOST FIVE YEARS IN PRISON FOR NOTHING!  

An America where Habeous Corpus is suspended.

An America where the Patriot Act is an excuse to rip away our civil rights one by one.

An America where the government abuses its power via "Executive Decision."

An America where we wrongfully imprison innocent people.

An America where we actually hold "political prisoners."

An America where there are NO RIGHTS, NO FREEDOMS that are guaranteed!

An America where you are "... with us or against us."

THIS IS NOT MY AMERICA!

I am a statistic!  I am one of the 8,000 people that the FBI contacted "requesting" an interview post 9/11.  Of those 8,000 Arab-Americans and Muslim-Americans that were rounded up like cattle, stripped of our rights, American citizens or not, by the FBI, CIA, NSA, etc. NOT ONE OF US has been convicted of any crime, much less convicted of a terrorist act!  NOT ONE!  

And as painful as that experience was for me, I am one of the "lucky" ones.  I am not Sami Al-Arian.  While the government maybe taping my phone conversations and maybe even tagging my e-mails or even this blog ... I am NOT Sami Al-Arian.  My anger here banks on sheer rage!  Bush has turned America into the MOST HATED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!

Which country has:

-Nuclear Weapons?

-Nuclear Reactor Programs?

-Military forces occupying foreign lands?

-Political prisoners for years without being formally charged with any crimes?

-Political prisoners taken to countries with no extradition treaties and no laws against torture?

-A government who spies on its own citizens? 

-A government who suspends the rights of its own people to "protect" them?

-A government who violates international laws?

-A government who violates the 4th Geneva convention?  Iran?  North Korea?  The entire "Axis of Evil?"  NOPE!  THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!!

Bush has turned this country into those countries we're allegedly fighting because of a conflict in our "ways of life" and for "freedom."  Ironic isn't it?  Not only is this 1984 because our government lies to us and strips us dowto protect us from ourselves, spy on us, and dehumanize others - but this is 1984 because we've become the very thing we "hate."

Our government is terrorizing its own citizens by using the "fear factor" to make us think we need to give up our civil liberties in order to be safe.  The American government has become "Big Brother."  We can stop it ... we have to stop it!  Raise your voice ... write Congress and ask them to free Sami Al-Arian!

Read about this remarkable man and his amazing family and his BS case .... 

http://www.freesamialarian.com

And read about the documentary made about his case and the fact that this man should be FREE!  He is innocent!  He was found innocent by a jury of his "peers."  A Palestinian, Muslim was found not guilty by a majority WHITE and non-Muslim jury POST 9/11 in America on ALL 51 counts and yet, he still sits in prison because he refuses to lie and give the government ammunition to wrongly accuse others!  This man is a hero!

http://www.usavsalarian.com

Be active in your world!  Make America realize its potential!  Make America great again .... SAY SOMETHING, WRITE SOMETHING, BECOME POLITICALLY ACTIVE.  Stop being a sheep.  Stop being a follower.  Start having some sort of say in your country!  "Stop bitching, start a REVOLUTION!"

Friendship is Everything

"Friendship takes many years to establish; so do not fall out with a friend over a single disagreement."

-Sadi, "Gulistan"

From "366 Readings From Islam," translated by Robert Van der Weyer. Copyright 2000. All rights reserved. 

Sound advice, no?  God created us as rational, and yet emotional beings.  We need companionship.  We need friends and partners.  We get angry with one another from time to time, but it is not worth the years of memories to walk away over a little disagreement that can be talked out logically.

If we could all master this on an individual level, there would be no need for lawsuits, for courts, for divorce, for war.  We have to learn to rise above our emotions and remember the bigger picture - the reason why we are all here.  Perspective is everything!

Give each other the benefit of the doubt.  Strive to understand one another.  Long to love one another.  Forgiveness is, truly, next to Godliness.

When God Closes a Door, Somewhere He Opens a Window

I don't know who came up with the, now cliche, phrase "When God closes a door, somewhere He opens a window," but I have been thinking a lot about "missed opportunities" and "missing opportunities" in the future. 

My wheels began turning after a conversation with one of my best friends.  Do the decisions we make, on this path called life, alter our course forever?  If we choose to be associated with a person, does that keep us from meeting new people?  Does committing to something, regardless of whether it is a right decision or a wrong decision, "close doors" in our future?

When people are uneasy or going through a trying time in life, and they have some knowledge of God or a higher power, it is my experience that they tend to react in one of two ways.  They either get closer to God or they go far, far in the other direction.  With the latter option, it is almost as if we're holding a personal protest to God's will.  I suppose that is "arrogant" but it seems to be the way humans react from time to time.

I have done both and I'm sure that throughout life, I will struggle with that "yin and yang" reaction to faith and matters of the heart and soul in general.

My friend, really got me thinking though.  So, this time, I turned towards God to see if I could find an answer.  I found ... something:

Do not be upset at the good things you miss, and do not be overjoyed at the good things you receive.  God does not love those who are arrogant and boastful; He does not love those who are stingy, and encourage others to be stingy also.  Those who ignore these words, should remember that God alone is self-reliant, and God alone is worthy of praise.

- Qur'an (57:23-24)

Muslims, not unlike other faiths, have this concept of "God's will."  We say "insha'Allah" which is Arabic for "God willing" all the time.  With this concept though, there is another cliche, "It is written" or "maktoob" in Arabic.

So, are our lives already mapped out for us or do we have free will?  I asked an imam, if the day we die is written why bother to be careful with life?  His response was, "Do not throw yourself in the ocean and then, when you drown, say 'it was written.'"

Well, that makes it clear as mud, doesn't it?  It seems that while we have some notion of free will, it is combined with the fact that God knows what our choices will be and what path we will choose to be on, even before we do.  So, is that why when a door closes, a window is opened somewhere for our escape?  Either to a new path or to get back on track to our original path?

Who knows?  Personally, while I am usually the "dreamer" and yet, somehow maintain being a "realist" I prefer to think our choices in life open doors.  If I choose to be a friend to one person, doesn't that lead to meeting their circle of friends?  And after introductions don't you, usually, end up being friends or at least acquaintances with one of two of them?  And so forth and so on?

Even if a door "closes" and that window is open somewhere ... you crawl out of it and cross on to the other side and that leads to a whole new set of doors.  Is that not life?  Take chances, take risks, learn from your successes, and learn from your failures ... life, hopefully, without regrets.

If you stand on the sidelines and "play things safe" where are the rewards?  If you never try anything and never commit to anything, doors might not close, but then again, you never opened any!  How is that living life to the fullest?

"Do not be upset at the good things you miss, ..."

If you're happy with what you have and where you are in life ... why would you think you are missing anything important?  Perhaps you think you're missing something good, but God lead you away from it because it would have been bad for you?

"...and do not be overjoyed at the good things you receive."  

How many times in life did you find yourself "overjoyed" about something and then, with the gift of hindsight, realize that it was not the right move for you?  Over the past year and a half or so, this seems to be the story of my life!  

Being human means we are fallible.  We are emotional beings and those things weigh on our state of mind and state of mind is everything when it comes to making decisions in life.  I truly believe we actually learn more from our failures than our successes, so it is my goal to pay attention, to be humble and have humility.

If I see something I want, I'm going to go for it and pray for God's guidance.  I will open doors in my path, knowing they will lead to another set of doors, and another, and another ... for infinity.  Life is a twisted, wind-y, sometimes scary, road.  Who says we can't back-track?  Open more than one door at once?  

I attempt, in my life, to use the word of God as guidelines to life.  While I have faith in the Lord, I also must have faith in myself.  I pray that my decisions make me happier and that they give me all I want, need, and deserve in this life.  I pray that my decisions effect others, that I have the privilege of touching, in a positive way and that by knowing me they are better for it.

I pray that doors never stop being presented to me and that when I choose to open one, it doesn't close ... perhaps it just remains open as I continue to walk through the maze of the other doors I open throughout my life; but by staying open, I can always go back "home."

Jesus (PBUH) in Islam ... Part 1 of ?

"I heard the Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) narrate the story of another Prophet, Jesus (PBUH), before him, whose people beat him and cause him to bleed.  Even as he wiped the blood off his face he said, "Lord, forgive them for they know not what they do!"

- Reported by Nayeem bin Mas'ud, Shaih al-Bukhari

Does this come to a surprise to most non-Muslims, that Jesus (PBUH) is recognized as a Prophet and Messenger of Islam?  In my personal experience, the answer is an astounding and deafening, YES!

If we compare the stories (as an outline) of the Prophet Jesus (PBUH) from the Bible of today and the Qur'an, there are a remarkable number of similarities.  Here are a few:

Jesus (PBUH):

- The son of the Virgin Mary

- By the grace and permission of God, cured leprosy, blindness, general illness and raised the dead

- Preached the word of God in an effort to remind people of the right path and return them to the ways and laws of Moses (PBUH)

- Spent time in the desert, being tested by the devil

- Had disciples (though the Qur'an is not specific as to how many)

- Was betrayed by one disciple (though the Qur'an doesn't name him)

- Was beaten and battered

- Faced a trial or a court

- Was "sentenced"

- Is the Messiah

- He shall return (the second coming)

- He will make his first prayer in Jerusalem upon his return and rid the world of the anti-Christ

Sound familiar?  The Qur'an even gives Jesus (PBUH) the miracles of speaking as an infant to defend his mother Mary's honor and the only prophet to know of his purpose on Earth at birth (other prophets received their "calls" later in life).

Muslims and Christians differ on the subject of crucifixion and the idea of a "Trinity" (though not all sects of Christianity have this concept).  The Islamic view is that God rose Jesus (PBUH) to heaven to "sit on the right hand of God" (as both the Bible and the Qur'an state) before the crucifixion and while a man, who resembled Christ, took his place on the cross.

If you read the Gospel of Barnabas, he states that the "face of Jesus (PBUH) turned into that of Judas" on the cross.  Interesting, no?  From my perspective, it makes more sense, given that in the Gospel of Luke the man on the cross says, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"  Why would Jesus (PBUH) say that of his Lord if it was all part of the plan for him to die in place of our sins?  Or, if Jesus (PBUH) is a part of God (as the trinity represents) why would he talk to himself?

Perhaps, I'm taking a very literal view of the Gospels, but these statements never agreed with me from a logical perspective.

I would love to turn this into a "discussion" ... if anyone can offer me some clarity, I would appreciate it.  Again, I feel that through education we achieve understanding and even, if in the end we do not agree with one another, at the very least we can tolerate one another's beliefs.

We are not as different as those who have the megaphones of the world would like us to believe.  Jesus (PBUH) is an extraordinary man, who is actually mentioned by name in the Qur'an to that of Mohamed (PBUH) at a ratio of 26:1!  Another surprise, no?

As always, I write with the purest of intentions.  Should there be any faults here, they are my own and do not reflect Islam or God's word.

Spread Peace, Love, & Understanding

We're all struggling to find a level of understanding (it seems) in a post 9/11 world.  It helps, I think, to spread positive things (love vs. hate - tolerance vs. difference) and this was light and its sentiment was appreciated by me, so I thought I would share it. 

For most of you, I am the "token" Arab-American or Muslim friend you've got.  I have tried to be open to questions and honest with answers and I have tried to live a good life, to be a good person, to be a good Muslim, and to be a good human being.  

I can only hope that by simply KNOWING me, you've learned that the actions of a few extremists do NOT speak for the 1.5 BILLION Muslims worldwide and more importantly do NOT represent the religion of Islam.  Any mistakes I make in life are my own.  They do not represent God and they do not reflect upon Islam.  I am human.  I do screw up from time to time!  =) 

We need to get away from focusing on the differences between us and start to realize that what we have in common (culturally, religiously, etc) is far greater.  Help me, please, by educating those that do not have access to anything other than bombardment of negative (and in my opinion, one-sided) news coverage.

Education = Understanding

Please help me pass it on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbcmPe0z3Sc

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did and I hope that if you ever have a question, as a friend, you'd be comfortable enough to come and ask me.  I promise to do the best I can to answer.

Arabic Words Written in English Characters

Thank you for your comment tatortots71. Here is the "quick reference" guide to Arabic letters that do not have English counterparts and, therefore, are represented by numbers.

2 = eh' (sounds a bit like a cute/light hiccup)

3 = ein (hard, deep, guttural)

5 = kh (hard, back of the throat)

7 = ha (hard, deep, guttural "h")

' = used as a verbal "pause" within a word

I, truly, have NO idea where this system came from or who or how it was invented, but it is fairly common when writing Arabic words with English characters.

Just to give you a little background on the Arabic language. We have 28 letters (not much more than the 26 in English). However, like most languages that originate from sanskrit, the "vowels" are represented by characters above and below the consonants. These are in addition to the 28.

Arabic has a few that do not exist in English and there are a few in English that do not exist in Arabic. For example, there is no "P" in Arabic. So, when you visit the Middle East, you'll probably hear people say "Bebsi" for Pepsi and "Bizza" for pizza. My personal favorite is "beoble" for "people." You guys get the idea. =)

If you'd like additional information on the language of Arabic (in the "SEMITIC" language family ... btw), I found Wikipedia to be a decent source on this particular topic and you can read more here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_language

I hope that helps. Please keep the questions coming.

Amazing Community

Thanks for your question/comment anonymous.  It was a great community, and a great experience overall, but given that I am trying to keep some anonymity myself ... I'd rather not say where I was on this blog.  If you'd like more information, please feel free to e-mail me at askamuslimnow@gmail.com and I would be happy to give you that masjid's information personally.  

I hope you understand.  

Please keep the questions coming!

Prophet vs. Messenger

Anonymous, thank you for your question and your compliment. They are both sincerely appreciated.

It is said, "Every messenger is a prophet, but not all prophets are messengers."

As I stated in a previous post, there were thousands of prophets.  The word for prophet in Arabic is "nabi."  We do not know all of them by name, obviously.  But, paraphrased, there is a verse in the Qur'an that states "God sent a prophet to every people (widely accepted to mean every "tribe") on Earth."

Of these thousands, there were over 300 messengers.  The word for messenger in Arabic is "rasoul."  Again, we do not know all of them by name.  What we do know is that these men came down with "books" or "messages" that added to the previous messenger's.  These men changed the course of humanity.

The Qur'an eludes to prophets and their books ("kitabs" in Arabic).

As I mentioned before, there are five "super prophets" or "super messengers."  These messengers changed more in their time on Earth than all the others.  They are Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohamed (pbut).

If you think about it - regardless of your own religious beliefs, or lack of religious beliefs, you've probably heard of these men.  Most people are aware, regardless of their own backgrounds, of at least a portion of their stories.  Even if you find them to merely be men of history or if their stories are merely fables to you - you have still heard of them.

Noah (pbuh) had a boat and there was a great flood.  He boarded the human believers and animals onto the ark, two by two.  It rained for 40 days and 40 nights until it stopped.  Once it stopped, humanity started over - a clean slate.

Abraham (pbuh) is known as the "father" of the religion - which is true whether you are Jewish, Christian, or Muslim.  The story of his two wives.  The story of God testing him to sacrifice his only son and then, in God's mercy, sending down a lamb in place of Ishmael.  The man who built the corner stone of the faith (figuratively and literally in Jerusalem and in Mecca).

Moses (pbuh) talked to God.  He actually HEARD God's voice.  From the house of Pharaoh, where he was a prince of Egypt to being treated like a slave.  The ten commandments and leading the chosen people out of Egypt and into Canaan.  He was the messenger of the Torah or Old Testament.

Jesus (pbuh) was born of the Virgin Mary.  He cured the sick and brought back the dead.  He healed all wounds - physical and spiritual.  He is the promised one and the Messiah.  He shall return.  He was the messenger of the New Testament.

Mohamed (pbuh) was the seal of all prophets.  He is the final messenger and served to remind humanity of Jesus' words and all the words of God from the mouths of all the prophets who came before him.  He is the spirit of truth.  He was the messenger of the Qur'an, which was the book to combine all books.  The "final version" and the only one where God promises that the words will be protected.

These men changed mankind and the history of mankind on Earth forever.

Prophets, like Adam (pbuh), were God's chosen men to guide the people.  Adam (pbuh) is a bit of a hard example, I'll admit.  He was the first man.  A creation of God almighty.  He wasn't a messenger, but he and Eve (may God be pleased with her) served as the guides for the first human beings on Earth.  How to live life.  How to love God.  How to worship Him.  They laid the foundation of morality.

This is the difference between a prophet and a messenger.  So again, every messenger is a prophet (since they too reaffirm the words of those before them) but not every prophet is a messenger.  Does that make sense?

I should also say, after every blog really, that if there are any mistakes here, they are my own and they do not reflect on God and his prophets nor on Islam.  I do my best to disseminate information in the hopes of educating, but I am only human, therefore fallible.  Please read and accept my words, knowing that I write them with the best of intentions.  Should I be wrong, please forgive my transgressions.

I hope you found this helpful.  Please keep the questions coming.

Jum3ah

Today is Friday, the "holy day" for Muslims. I am in a new city, helping a friend of mine, and while they were at work I decided to find a masjid (proper Arabic for "mosque") and go to Jum3ah (when writing an Arabic word in English - numbers are used to represent letters that do not exist in the English language: 3 = "ein") or Friday Prayer. Fortunately, there was one within WALKING distance of their house - which in America has NEVER happened to me. I was so happy! 

I took a walk and ended up there very early because it was closer than I thought. The masjid was still locked up! I saw a brother walking in, he was African-American and his name was Ali.

"Assalamu alaikum, sister," he said. "Come, come. You can enter through this door. Where are you from?"

I answered.

"I used to be on the police force there!" he said.

"What do you do now?" I asked.

"I am a US Marshall," he said with this bright grin on his face. "Ironic, isn't it? A Muslim, US Marshall."

I had to laugh. He led me through the masallah (where prayers are conducted) to the area where men and women can make wudu'.

Wudu' is a ritual that Muslims perform to wash up before prayer. Cleanliness is of the utmost importance in Islam. Especially given that Muslims believe that when they stand together to pray, they are literally, standing in the presence of God. I made my wudu' and came back to the masallah.

"Assalamu alaikum," said a gentlemen dressed like an imam. (An "imam" is the Muslim title for our religious leader - much like "priest" or "rabbi" or "father"). It turns out he was. He was an older gentlemen, probably right around his 50s. He looked like such a kind soul.

"This sister is visiting us," said brother Ali.

"Welcome, sister," said the imam.

I thanked them both for their assistance and making me feel welcome and went to take advantage of being there so early by reading the Qur'an.

Masjids have a male and female prayer section. I was in the woman's section and then I hear a polite knock on the door. I look up and its the imam. "Assalamu alaikum, sister. Then in Arabic, he says, "Do you speak Arabic?"

"Yes," I answered in Arabic.

"Where are you from?" he asked.

I told him and then I asked "and you?"

"Syria," he said. "Would you like some tea?"

"Please." I answered.

In my head, I was smiling and thinking, "Where are all those critics now? The ignorant ones that say Arab men treat women badly or say that Islam doesn't respect women or treats women as second class citizens ... where are they? Why can't they witness an ARAB IMAM make me tea!"

He left and timidly re-appeared a few moments later with a light knocking on the sister's entrance with the hot tea.

"Please, come and drink," he said.

I closed the Qur'an I was reading, got up and sat with him outside. We sat and talked about where we were from, about our lives, our families as Muslims started to file in for Friday prayer.

"Assalamu alaikum," they would stop in and say.

"Wa alaikum assalam," we would answer and then go back to our conversation.

He was a very kind, gentle spoken man. The congregation was not huge, but large enough given where I was in America. It was nice because no nationality was dominant. Indians, Malaysians, Indonesians, Pakistanis, all types of Arabs, white American converts, African American converts, Latino converts. It was amazing!

They were a tight knit community as well. Everyone calling out the other and giving salaams by name and they made me feel most welcome.

It was a great day! A day that broke through the stereotypes I attempt to break through every day I walk out of my front door and here, in this little community, you could see the "truth" with you own two eyes. It was refreshing.

I hope that, should I visit my friend again, I will have the opportunity to visit this masjid again. I truly felt the presence of God there - in the purest form. Several people looking past their own cultures to come together as one "ummah" (Arabic for community) to worship and praise the one God in unison. Not as black or white, Arab or non-Arab, man or woman ... but as one voice - the central theme of Islam.

Thanks for your comments!

Islam does not "designate" someone with the phrase, "Prophet." God gives them that "title." So, I suppose, to answer your question this is not a man-made process and therefore is nothing like Catholics and canonizing saints and nothing like Mormons either.

It is said, and widely accepted in Islam, that there were THOUSANDS of prophets. Given that there is a verse in the Qur'an that states that "God sent a prophet for every tribe on Earth."

There are only 28 listed, by name, in the Qur'an.

Of those 28, there are 5 who are "heavy hitters" as they were also "messengers" in addition to their prophethood. These 5 are Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohamed (pbut). These men came down with "books" that made the most changes to the world and added to the message that preceded their own.

Notice I say "ADDED." Each message (text) was revealed to correct the people or remind them of the message of those past. None of the prophets came up with a "new" message. Mohamed reiterated the message of Jesus. Jesus reiterated the message of Moses. Moses reiterated David and David reiterated Noah (pbut).

Does that answer your question tatortots71?

Note: (pbut) = peace be upon them - said after prophet's names as a sign of respect in Islam

As for "Hadith," it is another source important in Islam. The Qur'an is believed, by Muslims to actually BE THE words of God. God revealed these verses to the Angel Gabriel (may God be pleased with him) and the Angel Gabriel took those words to the Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) to deliver to the people. There is a verse in the Qur'an that states that for everything not found in this text or for any clarification for that which the people didn't understand, they should look to their prophet (Mohamed (pbuh) in this case) for answers.

Those answers to questions and a living document of how the prophet Mohamed (pbuh) lived his life, so we could emulate him - as he is our teacher, were recorded. Those records are called "Hadith."

After the prophet Mohamed (pbuh) died, unfortunately people tried to take advantage to restore "tribal traditions" that Islam had eradicated by stating "I heard the prophet say ..." Obviously, those sayings were untrue. To me, this seems to repeat the history of what I believe "Saint" Paul did to the message of the prophet Jesus (pbuh).

For hadith, the person who reported it (meaning the source) is just as important as the words itself. In the sunni tradition, "Al-Bukhari" and "Muslim" are the two strongest sources and therefore held in high regards as true "hadiths" or sayings or actions of the prophet Mohamed (pbuh). Shi'ite tradition have their own sources as well. Other hadith reported by obscure people are considered "weak" or not well supported and therefore, might be false.

So, as Islam teaches, one must ask questions and conduct research before just following blindly.

Becca, I hope that answers your question.

Please, anyone out there, PLEASE keep asking questions! Together we will all learn something new and hopefully have a better understanding of one another.

How about we start from the beginning?

Since the hope is that I will help educate people on Islam, I have been thinking where does one start? Given that my hope and is to show people that we have much more in common than we have in differences, how about we start with the very first man, and first prophet of Islam - Adam (pbuh)?

Just a note - as a Muslim - we hold all prophets with the utmost respect. This is shown by saying "Peace Be Upon Him" after we state their names, which is notated in writing with "(pbuh)."

I am sure I'll need to take this in parts, given that this story is the beginning of several things. It is the beginning of:

1) Mankind (first man, first woman)
2) Life on this Earth
3) The "fight" of good vs. evil

For the most part, the "story" is the same between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. God created Adam (pbuh) from dust/clay. He breathed life (the soul) into Adam (pbuh). Adam (pbuh) had something that no other creation of God's had - the ability to reason, which equals free will.

(Hadith - Sahih Al-Bukhari)
"God created Adam from a handful of dust taken from different lands, so the children of Adam have been created according to the composition of the land. Therefore, from mankind we have white, red, black, and yellow ones; we have good and evil, ease and sorrow, and what comes in between them."

(Qur'an - 38: 71-72)
"Truly, I am going to create man from clay. So, when I have fashioned him and breathed into him his soul created by Me, then you (angels) fall down to prostrate to him."

So far, all three monotheistic faiths are on the same path.

Help a Brother Out!

Today's entry is more of a reminder that God works in mysterious ways than a "lesson."

I had a horrible day yesterday! I got some bad news on a personal note and then as I was reeling from that, trying to process the information, I got a phone call. It was United Airlines, telling me my flight home for the weekend, my father's birthday, has been canceled!

I was on the phone, trying everything in my power to get on another flight. I finally got one, but from an airport far, far away. Instead of being thankful that I was going to be able to go home, I got upset about the money it would cost me to take a cab there. Sadly, we find ourselves caught up in the material things too easily.

The cabbie came and picked me up. We exchanged plesentries, but my head was in my hands. I was upset and my mind was going a mile a minute. I called my mother and left her a message to inform her of my flight changes. He must have heard me say "Assalamu alaikum ..." or perhaps he assumed, because I was speaking Arabic, but he said "Are you OK, sister?"

I raised my head from my hands and looked up at him, a bit surprised. He said, "You are Muslim, right?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Can I tell you something, sister?"

"Sure," I answered.

"I can say this to you because, as a Muslim, you will understand what I mean. I was just talking to my brother and telling him that I was worried about my business. Today has been very slow. A few dollars here, a few dollars there. He reminded me that I should be thankful, so I said 'alhamdulilah' (Arabic for Thanks be to God or Thank God). I hung up with him. A few minutes later, I got the call to go pick you up and here you are, going a far distance." He grinned and then his face lit up as he continued, "And your a sister giving to your brother."

I felt foolish. I smiled back at him and whole-heartedly replied, "Alhamdulilah."

"I am sorry that you had a rough day sister, but there is always a reason. Today, it seems that I am your reason. You had to go down your rough path today in order for you to be in the position to help me now. And who knows? Maybe there is something bad that is going to happen and God averted your course, so you would not meet with whatever bad thing. Now insha'Allah, everything will be fine for the both of us."

I couldn't stop smiling, sheepishly, but smiling none-the-less. "You are right, brother, thank you for reminding me of what is important and of God's mercy."

As I got to the airport, finally, I was no longer upset about the money. In fact, I decided to exercise another one of Islam's lessons - giving to those in need. I handed him more than enough and like a true brother, he thanked me and didn't bother counting it. He just said "alhamdulilah" and put the cash in his pocket.

He helped me with my bags and wished me a safe journey. "Remember sister, this life is merely a test for the true believers. God tests you because he loves you."

I wanted to cry. I felt a huge, emotional release, and suddenly things didn't feel so heavy. "Thank you brother, for reminding me of what's important. God sent you to me today, as the sign I needed."

He seemed happy with this statement of mine. "He sent us to each other. Assalamu alaikum."

"Wa alaikum assalam."

And with a kind wave of his hand, he was gone. The feeling in my heart, however, is still with me, and I hope it never leaves.

There is NO Compulsion in Religion

To me, this is one of the most fundamental and important lessons in Islam:

Qur'an (2:256) "There is no compulsion in religion, for the right way is clear from the wrong way. Whoever therefore rejects the forces of evil and believes in God, he has taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way, for God is All Hearing and Knowing."

Islam is NOT the "religion of the sword." In the verse above, God states that you cannot force someone to believe or force someone to practice. Again, the only thing you can do is lead by example. SHOW people the "right way" from the "wrong way" by your own actions and hopefully, other's watching you will say "I want to be like that." Is that not the only way to truly lead?

Power hungry people, whether that be Bin Laden, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Pat Buchanan, some "mufti", those people take the words of God, from whatever book and twist it to meet their own agenda.

One must educate and read these texts, themselves, and use their own brains to decide and interpret what God meant and then apply it to one's own life. I am not saying all religious leaders are evil, as those above are usually exceptions, but we as followers are responsible too. I think we've forgotten that.

Read, educate yourself, practice yourself, and then you'll educate others in society by your actions. Be the best you can be on all levels - that is all God asks of us and that's all I ask of myself.

Why Write?

I write in an attempt to dispel stereotypes.

If anyone out there is reading this and has a question about Islam or "Arab" culture, please post it and I'll do my best to answer. There are no "stupid" or "offensive" questions.

I am a strong believer in the fact that we learn by challenging what we are taught and told to accept. I want this to be an open forum where any question can be asked. I believe your curiosity will allow me to further educate myself, because I am sure that I will not always have an answer and may have to do some research of my own.

One of the greatest summaries of Islam I've ever read is found here:

http://www.spiritual.com.au/articles/religion/islam_ffares.htm

There are a couple of things, that I'll chalk up to writing style (word choice, etc), that wouldn't be the way I'd put it - but over all it is a great start!

The prophet Mohamed, who was illiterate himself, spoke very highly of the importance of seeking knowledge.

(Hadith)

"A Muslim who meets with others and shares their burdens is better than one who lives a life of seclusion and contemplation." (Muslim)

This means one who shares knowledge is better than one who simply worships God in a vacuum. It is not enough to pray in a corner night and day. This is not what God wants of us. Honesty, yes. Loyalty, yes. Devotion, yes. Faith, yes. Do nothing else with your life, but worship Him, no. Muslims (and good people in general) are taught to lead by example.

My "burden" is that terrorists hijacked Islam on 9-11. This is my meager attempt to help set the record straight.

Islam is not a religion of:

- Hatred
- Seclusion
- Racism
- Genderism (is this a word? eh, ya'll know what I mean)
- War
- Violence
- Terrorism
- Extremism

The word "Islam" stems from two Arabic root words:
1 - "aslama" - which in English can closely translate to "submission" or "surrender"
2 - "salaam" - which in English can closely translate to "peace"

So how can a faith, named after submitting or surrendering oneself to God Almighty, alone, be evil? What "warrior" or "war monger" or "terrorist" is taught to submit?

Being a "Muslim" means "one who submits or surrenders to God."

Islam is a guide to live one's life. It teaches moderation and discipline. Yes, there are verses that deal with the topic of war, but they are often taken out of context or mis-translated entirely.

And, if we are to be fair, there are several verses in Psalms (the Book of David - which Muslims believe in and adhere to), the Torah (the Book of Moses - which Muslims believe in and adhere to), and the Bible (the Book of Jesus - which Muslims believe in and adhere to) as well.

We have to view things, not only in context, but research why these verses were revealed. Most of the time, those versus served a specific purpose to that time and should serve as a historical marker - NOT A ROAD MAP for today!

I'm sure I'll be writing more on these topics ... but we'll save that for another day.

Interfaith Prayer Service and Vigil for Palestinians

I needed to go show my support, however futile my efforts might be. Knowing that I'd feel sympathy, pain, frustration, and sadness for the state of mankind - I was dreading it.

I got into my car and ended up at a building that most people (these days) would say a Muslim wouldn't enter - a church. The interfaith service included a Rabbi, a Reverend, and an Imam. The Imam was stuck in an airport due to security issues with his name, imagine that in a post 9-11 world. The hosting Christian congregation were sheepishly asking the Arabs they didn't know, "Excuse me, are you Muslim?" They were trying to find someone to speak in place of the Imam.

"Yes, I am," I answered, "why?"

"Could you help us out? The Imam won't be able to make it. He is stuck in an airport. They won't let him fly."

I smiled sheepishly. "Isn't there anyone else? An elder?"

"We will keep asking around," he said. "But would you consider saying a few words?"

"If there aren't any other options, sure" I said.

I was nervous. Not because of speaking in public, I'd been doing that since I was in secondary school, but because my accent in Arabic, especially Qur'anic Arabic, is not perfect. I know this may seem silly, but I guess I am just a little bit shy about reciting what Muslims believe to be the actual words of God and not doing it correctly.

Another Muslim sister came to me, she was Palestinian. She was an older woman, probably in her mid to late 50's. She was short, stout, and had a kind round face - made all the more noticeable given that she wore a hijab (head scarf) and glasses. She smiled at me and said, "I'll find a verse to recite if you handle the message portion." She had an accent in English. It seems we had similar concerns.

"Is there no one else?" I asked again. "I don't feel that I am qualified to address these folks, especially given that the other speakers are a Rabbi and a Reverend."

"Do your best," she said, "that is all Allah (Arabic for God) asks of us and that is all any person can ask of you."

I felt slighly ashamed of my reluctance. "You're right sister. I will do my best."

On the program, I jotted a few notes and was thanking God that I used to compete in extemporaneous speech.

The service began, I'd say there were about 150 people in attendance. Jews, Christians, Muslims .... Arabs, Jews, Whites, Blacks, Latinos, and Asians ... all sitting there as human beings for a common cause - to end the occupation of Palestine and the specifically the suffering in Gaza.

Time seemed to fly by and then it was our turn. The sister took the mic first, reciting this Qur'anic verse (49:13):

(translated here)

O mankind! We created you from a single pair - Of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other not that ye may despise each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is he who is the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted with all things.

"It is a beautiful verse and most relevant to our gathering today," I started my message with. I would be lying if I said I could remember, verbatim, my speech. After all, none of it was planned. What I do remember, is that I spoke about focusing on our likenesses versus our differences.

"We are all children of Adam and we are all descendants of Abraham and we're all following an Abrahamic faith. We all believe in the prophets and books of Dawood (David) and Musa (Moses) and we're all tailoring our prayers in order to be respectful and mindful of the other's in this room. We can only hope that other's outside of this church will learn from our example today. The lessons and morals that bind us, far out weigh the thoughts and practices that divide us and yet, we tend to explore our differences with a magnifying glass."

I spoke of Palestine, the American government, and having a strong voice and raising it to speak out against the human rights violations and the crimes that violate international laws and UN Security Council's laws. I spoke for freedom and the right to life, liberty, and property. I spoke from my heart and yet I tried to hold back the anger I felt - the frustration that made my voice shake as I was on the verge of tears.

I thanked those there for doing what they felt was right - for speaking their minds and hearts and for being tolerant. I thanked them for their voices and for their presence. I thanked them as my brothers and sisters in faith of the one God we all worshiped. I ended with "Assalamu Alaikum. Shalom Alahom. Peace be with you."

The Reverend spoke after me. Then we sang a hymn. Then we headed to the Israeli Embassy to protest. As I was walking out of the church, the Rabbi and Reverend stopped me to thank me for stepping up to speak. "I think you missed your calling," the Rabbi said. You were very informative and passionate but you managed to stay respectful and inclusive of the other's in the room ."

"Thank you, sir," I answered. I could feel the blush rise up to my cheeks. He smiled, "Shalom" he said. "Salaam," I answered.

One can only hope that today is just the beginning. That people will continue to try to focus on what is right and righteous in a manner that unites us as mankind versus divides us into nothing more than races and creeds and tribes.

One God. One voice. One kind. One world. We are all people of the book.

Peace be with you.